India says visa services to Canada to start very soon

India has hinted that the suspended visa services to Canada may start very soon provided there is progress in the security of its diplomats in that country.

"If we see progress in the security of our diplomats in Canada, we will resume issuing visas there," External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said in response to a question on India-Canada relations at an event on Sunday.

‘’We would like to start," he said adding that due to the continuous interference in our affairs by Canadian diplomats, India had talked about equality.

Jaishankar said on India-Canada relations that relations are currently going through difficult times. Our problem is with some parts of Canadian politics. He also said that, if we see progress in protecting our diplomats in Canada, we would like to resume issuing visas there.

He said that due to concerns about interference in New Delhi's affairs by Canadian employees, India has implemented the provision of parity in Canada's diplomatic presence in the country. The Foreign Minister also said that India is likely to resume issuing visas to Canadians if it sees progress in the security of Indian diplomats in Canada.

Khalistani separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar was murdered in Canada in June this year. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau last month alleged the "possible" involvement of Indian agents in the case. After this there was serious tension in the relations between India and Canada.

Days after Justin Trudeau's allegations, India announced it would temporarily stop issuing visas to Canadian citizens and asked Ottawa to reduce its diplomatic presence in India.

On reducing Canada's diplomatic presence in India, he said that there is a provision for diplomatic equality in the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations. Jaishankar said, "Equality is provided by the Vienna Convention, which is the relevant international rule on this. In our case we invoked parity because we were concerned about the continued interference in our affairs by Canadian employees."

Canada has already recalled 41 of its diplomats from India. Canadian Foreign Minister Melanie Jolie on Thursday announced the withdrawal of diplomats from India, calling New Delhi's action "contrary to international law" and a violation of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations. India has already rejected this allegation.